Folding stool



(No Model.)

F. E. UPHAM.

FOLDING STOOL.

Patented Mar. 8,1898.

WITNESSES We A TTOR/VEYS.

Nrrn STATES ATENT FFICE.

FRED E. UPIIAM, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING STOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,462, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed March 11, 1897. Serial No. 627,041. (No model.)

T 0 all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED E. UPHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leominster, in the county of \Vorcester, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Folding Stool, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved folding stool intended especially for use in stores behind the ordinary counters; and the invention has for its object, among others, to provide a stool which maybe compactly folded in such manner as not to obstruct the passage-way in the aisles, which can be adjusted beneath any of the counters of different heights, can be quickly folded and unfolded for use without stooping, and will when in position for use furnish a strong and steady seat for the user.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the seat in position for use, and Fig. 3 is a side view showing the seat folded.

My stool has a seat Aand is preferably adjusted for use in connection with a post B, which is adapted to be braced firmlyin position between the floor O and the counter or shelving above. It will be understood that my stool is applicable to the counter or to the shelving in rear thereof and may be used in either location without interfering with or obstructing the passage-way. In adapting it to the post B the latter is preferably cut away at C or reduced in thickness at such point to permit the convenient folding of the top-supports D of the seat, as presently described.

To the under side of the seat A, I fix a metallic frame F, having side plates F, arranged to extend nearly from front to rear of the seat and braced in position at the front bya short stayframe G. Near their rear ends the plates F are stayed by brackets l-Land in these plates F near their front ends 1 form slots I, elongated in the direction of length of said plates and receiving the bar which connects the upper front ends of the struts J. To the plates F near their rear ends I pivot the forward ends of the bars D, the opposite ends of which lap on opposite sides of and are pivoted to the post B,near the lower end of the narrowed portion (J thereof, as shown. At their forward ends the bars D lap against the inner sides of the plates F, while the upper forward ends of the struts J lap against the outer sides of plates F, so that in the folding of parts D and J in connection with the plates F the struts J embrace the plates F and the latter the bars D, such bars D lapping alongside the narrowed portion 0 of the post 13 and the struts J lying close to and against the wider portion of the post 13 below the part 0, as shown.

When in position for use, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the seat A is supported at its outer edge upon the struts J and at its inner edge upon the bars or plates D and will be firmly supported in such position against being accidentally uptilted. In this position the slots I are important, as they permit the struts J to play out to a point nearer the outer edge of the seat A and increase the space between their connection with the seat and the pivotal connection between the seat and the bars D; also, by arranging the inner edge of the seat to rest upon and be supported by the bars D, I distribute the strain of the weight upon said seat between the bars D and the struts J, and am so able to secure sufficient strength with less material than might otherwise be practicable. On arising from the seat the occupant can tilt it up readily to lie flush against the post and under the shelf or counter, as shown in Fig. 3, and this adj ustment of the seat can, after slight use and practice, be accomplished by the user by a movement of the dress in arising, and so avoid the necessity of touching the seat with the hand. \Vhen folded up, the plates F, bars D, and struts J lie in alinement or slightly beyond the center, so the seat will not drop unless its lower edge be pressed slightly forward, when it will drop easily to position for use. As the seat folds up it is, when so folded, at such height that but little or no stooping will be necessary to reach its lower edge in order to open it to position for use. As before suggested, the seat will lie flush with the counter or shelf in position for use, will be strong, can be lightly constructed, thus avoiding weight and excess of noise in operating, will take up no space beneath the .below the counters of ordinary height, and

this is effected by the sliding connection at I, which permits the struts to adjust out near the front edge of the seat when the latter isv adjusted to position for use and at the same time permits the struts to slide up along the seat when the latter is folded, so reducing the height to which such seat is thrown when adjusted tofolded position. By making the slot a certain exact length it enables me to accomplish three things impossible to accomplish in any other way with the same or similar arrangement. First, it gives the best of support for the seat at the outer edge. Second, in folding it makes it possible to fold it in a shorter space than would otherwise be possible, which is an important feature. The height of the slot is such that when folded it makes a perfect lock for the seat, and this could not be accomplished in any other or so simple a way without extra material or other combination.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding stool, the combination with the seat, of the plates secured to the under side thereof and provided with slots, the struts having a sliding connection at their upper ends with said plates by means of a cross-rod operating in said slots, the top-supporting bars pivoted at their front ends to said plates in rear of the slots therein, and the support to which the bars and struts are pivoted, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination in a folding stool, of the plates, the seat secured to said plates, the struts having a pivotal and sliding connection at their upper ends with said plates, the

a nd the post arranged between the ends of the struts and top-supporting bars, and pivots securing said struts and bars to substantially as described.

3. The combination of the post, the seat, the plates secured to the under side of said seat, the struts lapping at one end against the opposite faces of the post and pivoted thereto, and at their other ends against the outer side of the plates and pivoted thereto, and the top-supporting bars lapping at their forward ends against the inner faces of the plates and pivoted thereto, and at their other ends against the post and pivoted thereto, substantially as described.

4. The herein-described improvement in folding stools, consisting of the post having an upper portion reduced in thickness, the seat provided with the depending plates provided with slots elongated in the direction of their length, the struts pivoted at their lower ends to opposite sides of the post below the narrowed portion thereof and having a connection at their upper ends with the plates through the slots thereof, such struts being the post,

lapped against the outer sides of such plates,

and the top-supporting bars pivoted at one end on opposite sides of the narrowed portion of the post and at their other ends between the rear ends of the depending seatplates, all substantially as described, whereby when folded, the top-supporting bars will fold within the plates, and the latter within the struts, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a folding stool, of the post, the seat, the top-supporting bars pivoted at one end to the post, and at their other ends to the seat and arranged between their ends to support the inner edge of such seat, and the struts pivoted at their lower ends to the post and having at their upper ends a pivotal and sliding connection with the seat, the latter folding upward into closed position, substantially as shown and described.

FRED E. UPHAM.

Witnesses:

P. B. TURPIN, G. E. TISDALE. 

